Pinot Auxerrois H Josmeyer 2018

Pinot Auxerrois is often just referred to as Auxerrois and is a fairly widely placted grape in Alsace and other parts of Europe. What makes this wine special is a small parcel of 60 year old vines of this grape located on the Grand Cru Hengst vineyard. Although the wine can;t be called Grand Cru, because of the grape, the quality is nevertheless exceptionally high. The grapes are hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed very slowly and gently in pneumatic presses over 5-8 hours. Natural fermentation ensues with indigenous yeasts and then the wine is passed to stainless steel and large oak barrels for maturation. A deep, complex wine which may take some time to open and reveal its layers of ripe cooking apple, buts, minerals and creamy texture.

Josmeyer was founded in 1854 by restaurant owner Aloyse Meyer who set about building on his father’s work in the wine trade.

Since then, the estate has passed through 5 generations of the Meyer family, with Jean Meyer responsible for switching the entire estate to organic and biodynamic culture. He is credited with elevating the estate to one of Alsace’s greats. After his death, his daughters Celine and Isabelle took over running of the estate. The 28 hectare estate is situated at Wintzenheim, and benefits from low annual rainfall, some of the lowest in France. Riesling and Pinot Blanc are given the largest sections of the estate, with Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer also growing here. 5 distinct terroirs make up the estate, 2 of which have achieved Grand Cru status: Hengst and Brand. Once hand picked, the grapes undergo gentle pressing followed by natural fermentation in 100 year old casks, where they also receive some lees ageing. Josmeyer’s wines are characterised by freshness, complexity and minerality, with each of the 5 terroirs contributing to different expressions of the grapes. These are true wines of character, and though their labels may suggest a certain playfulness, they are certainly serious wines.